The invention relates to the field of harvesting corn and comprises a method and apparatus by which standing corn can be picked, husked, and the resulting corn plant residue, such as kernels, husks, leaves and the like, deposited on a windrow along the path of the implement for curing and later pickup.
Modern corn harvesting is frequently done in two stages with a combine or corn picker having corn heads adapted for multi-row operation performing the first stage of picking the ears from the corn while leaving the enrooted cornstalks standing. The second stage occurs later when a chopper moves through the field and cuts down the standing cornstalks and collects them for use as silage.
Typically, the first stage, during which the ears are picked from the stalk, is accomplished by combines or corn pickers utilizing snapping rollers or chains to engage the cornstalk and strip the ears therefrom while leaving the stalk standing in the field. Generally, the implement also husks the corn and retains the husked ears while discharging the corn plant residue resulting from husking from the implement and into a trailing bin or adjacent truck. The corn plant residue typically contains leaves, husks, dislodged corn kernels and the like and has exceptionally high nutritional value and is greatly desired as livestock feed. A serious disadvantage of the existing procedure is that the highly nutritious corn plant residue is collected at the time of harvesting of the ears and contains a high moisture level. This high moisture level makes the residue vulnerable to mildew and fungus induced spoilage and more difficult to store. If long term storage is contemplated, it is necessary that the residue be dried in grain dryers or the like with expenditure of substantial energy. Accordingly, a serious shortcoming of the present harvesting apparatuses is that the valuable corn plant residue is collected at the time of harvesting and with its high moisture content is difficult to store and expensive to artificially dry.
Another shortcoming of the existing apparatuses is that the standing cornstalks are cut as a second, distinct operation during which a chopper moves through the field to cut the stalks and collect them. Typically, such choppers utilize rapidly spinning blades which hack the cornstalk in two and simultaneously generate clouds of dust and sometimes even uproot the cornstalks, gathering further dirt clods, roots, clinging dirt, and the like and mixing such impurities with the gathered stalks. Such dirt ingredients are abrasive to the teeth of livestock and make the silage less acceptable for feeding purposes. At times, the cornstalks gathered by the chopper may also contain excessive moisture levels and, after grinding, may require drying for long-term storage.
Another shortcoming of the known apparatuses is that with the separate harvesting of cornstalks and the separate collection of corn plant residue, both of these key livestock feeds are acquired separately when, in view of their common purpose, it would be more desirable that they be collected simultaneously.
Still another shortcoming of the existing apparatuses is that the corn plant residue, which is typically delivered to the trailing bin or truck by a discharge aperture or chute is that many of the smaller, but very nutritious, elements of the residue can be blown off by wind and may never reach the truck or bin.
The invention disclosed herein provides a solution to these shortcomings.